My older cat struggles to jump and has sensitive back legs. Is it arthritis?

Many cats show signs of osteoarthritis on radiographs as seniors even when they don't seem to be obviously painful. Since this is a recent change I'd recommend seeing your vet for a physical exam. If they agree that your cat may have arthritis they might recommend a joint supplement like Dasuquin or a trial of pain medication to see if it helps with mobility.

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I am sorry that Majo is having these issues. Studies have shown that 95% of cats over the age of 8 have some form of arthritis, and often it is undiagnosed because cats hide their illnesses well. This could be the cause of Majo's inability to jump up. Other causes could be related to being overweight, neurological problems that can include both structural issues in her back, or metabolic conditions such as diabetes. Weakness from other medical conditions can also cause this type of behaviour. What I recommend is a visit to the vet to make sure there is no medical cause that needs to be addressed, and to assess her body condition to see if weight loss is needed. Otherwise, ramps are a great idea to help our furry friends get up on the bed. If arthritis is the issue, you can talk with your vet about different types of food and supplements that will help support joints. Best of luck with Majo!

At his age, he likely has some arthritis. I suggest you get him started on a joint supplement. https://worldtails.securevetsource.com/itemView/view/198944_HomeDelivery.pml?productId=120626 Give it a good 4-6 weeks to see if it helps him. If not, then please post again and we'll see if we can give you some more suggestions.

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. 80% of cats over the age of 8 and 95% of cats over the age of 12 will have arthritis. Cats are just very good at hiding their pain. It is likely that Lychee just has arthritis which is normal. There are treats that have medications in them that help the body produce more fluid in the joints, these can help. If the arthritis becomes severe (you are noticing Lychee slow or sore at home), then you can use stronger drugs, but these do have side effects. If Lychee is overweight then getting her on a diet and increasing the muscle mass is the BEST treatment for arthritis. Best of luck with Lychee!

If Felix is having problems with his back legs and has arthritis and joint pain, giving him stronger medications may help. As for the back leg brace support, I'd ask his vet about that. That may be something that needs to be specially ordered for him. Best of luck.

Hi there. Older cats can sometimes develop arthritis or other chronic orthopedic issues as they get older. You don't mention if she is declawed or not, but if she is, this would be even more common. I would recommend taking her to the vet for an exam when you're able to - if she does have arthritis, there are prescription pain medications that can be used long-term to make her much more comfortable, just like an older human with arthritis issues. In the meantime, you could also try adding a daily joint supplement such as Cosequin along with an omega-2 fatty acid supplement such as Welactin to her food each day. These can both be helpful for arthritis issues in both dogs and cats.

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! Most cats do not like to be touched past the head normally. But of this is a sudden behavioral change I would recommend a Vet exam since she is getting older. They can see of she is more painful than normal in her back and be sure she hasn't lost weight. There are glucosamines/chondriotins for cats like Dasuquin and Cosequin. In the mean time don't pet her where she doesn't like. Cats do get ramped up if we keep doing things they don't like. https://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=3571 https://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=26149